We're off to The Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe for the GPYTCA Conference 2011! Well, not actually IN the lake...though, who knows? Ai Chi might be fun. Want cost breakdowns and basic registration information?
Conference Registration Details:
Conference presenters
For a full view of the Resort, check out their website:
www.squawcreek.com
Now, we know you're itching to know who will be leading the workshops and what the topics will cover...which workshops will you attend...who's leading the morning stretches and taiji form...breathe in...breathe out...young grasshopper. Answers to these burning questions and more are unfolding as we schedule flights, meals, rooms, equipment and times. In the meantime, look for the registration form that is coming soon!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Friday, September 24, 2010
Headin' Southwest
Hey folks- we're heading southwest this year for the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Association Conference! The schedule has been hammered out and posted on the Guang Ping Yang Association website: www.guangpingyang.org so swing over and check it out.
We're headed to new territory - Albuquerque, New Mexico - a nice change of pace. And we really have Dug Corpolongo to thank. He graciously did a lot of background work to get us a great hotel at fabulous rates (you can get that info at our site!) as well as some incredible entertainment for the Friday Evening Social. (So if you don't know: we work hard -really hard - during the day, and have fun - lots of it - in the evening. But not too much. We still have to get up for stretching and form by 6:00. Larry Riddle has a switch. He will use it.)
Okay, so I get pretty excited when new teachers are folded into the mix of our conferences. I'm really pumped to get to meet Jiang Jiangye and to learn Nine Dragons Bagua Push Hands. I still don't feel push hands is a great strength of mine - especially because I really like to push instead of yield most of the time (there's a little inside secret if you're ever paired up with me!). I've only seen the multitude of videos Master Jiang (www.jiangtaichi.com) but have never attended one of his workshops.
I'm also really interested in being introduced to medical qigong with Lu Yuzhi - who will lead a workshop on it. I still remember the first book I read that covered medical qigong (Qigong Empowerment by Master Shou-Yu Liang and Wen-Ching Wu) that went over simple but effective movements - and sometimes sounds - to ease the body back into balance. But there's a huge difference between reading something in a book and physically working with a group of people led by a highly experienced master, so again, I'm pumped.
We are also lucky to have extremely talented, sharing teachers in our own association who basically donate their time and energy to offer the best Guang Ping workshops available. Over the years I've been to many of them - luckily they've been repeated over the years because I always learn something different each time.
And I must say that I feel like I come home for a while when I'm able to attend GPY conferences. The familiar faces, catching up, being challenged. As the young people say: "It's all good."
Hope you send in your registrations and join us for this year's conference!
We're headed to new territory - Albuquerque, New Mexico - a nice change of pace. And we really have Dug Corpolongo to thank. He graciously did a lot of background work to get us a great hotel at fabulous rates (you can get that info at our site!) as well as some incredible entertainment for the Friday Evening Social. (So if you don't know: we work hard -really hard - during the day, and have fun - lots of it - in the evening. But not too much. We still have to get up for stretching and form by 6:00. Larry Riddle has a switch. He will use it.)
Okay, so I get pretty excited when new teachers are folded into the mix of our conferences. I'm really pumped to get to meet Jiang Jiangye and to learn Nine Dragons Bagua Push Hands. I still don't feel push hands is a great strength of mine - especially because I really like to push instead of yield most of the time (there's a little inside secret if you're ever paired up with me!). I've only seen the multitude of videos Master Jiang (www.jiangtaichi.com) but have never attended one of his workshops.
I'm also really interested in being introduced to medical qigong with Lu Yuzhi - who will lead a workshop on it. I still remember the first book I read that covered medical qigong (Qigong Empowerment by Master Shou-Yu Liang and Wen-Ching Wu) that went over simple but effective movements - and sometimes sounds - to ease the body back into balance. But there's a huge difference between reading something in a book and physically working with a group of people led by a highly experienced master, so again, I'm pumped.
We are also lucky to have extremely talented, sharing teachers in our own association who basically donate their time and energy to offer the best Guang Ping workshops available. Over the years I've been to many of them - luckily they've been repeated over the years because I always learn something different each time.
And I must say that I feel like I come home for a while when I'm able to attend GPY conferences. The familiar faces, catching up, being challenged. As the young people say: "It's all good."
Hope you send in your registrations and join us for this year's conference!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Still hammering the details...
BUT, we do have this information for you. This year's convention in Albuquerque will be...drum roll please...
October 22, 23, and 24th
That's a full three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of conference workshops. Rooms at the luxurious (especially after a long day of training) Radisson Hotel are slated to be $79 per night. The details - including cost and presenters for this year's conference are being hammered out as we speak, but we wanted to get out the dates and room cost so everyone would be able to plan in advance!
Hope to see you all there!
That's a full three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of conference workshops. Rooms at the luxurious (especially after a long day of training) Radisson Hotel are slated to be $79 per night. The details - including cost and presenters for this year's conference are being hammered out as we speak, but we wanted to get out the dates and room cost so everyone would be able to plan in advance!
Hope to see you all there!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2010 Convention set for Albuquerque, New Mexico
We're off to a new area in 2010 where old and new, natural beauty and manmade wonders, frontier town and sophisticated metropolis convene. Even the landscape - which accommodates both majestic mountains and vast desert plains - reveals the city's diversity.
The Radisson Hotel of Albequerque, New Mexico will house our three-day convention this year surrounded by natural beauty and a team of exceptional presenters!
The Hotel Radisson Albequerque is a 100% non-smoking, newly-remodeled facility with spacious hotel rooms and suites. After a day of hard Guang Ping training, you can can unwind in the indoor heated swimming pool and whirlpool or enjoy complimentary access to the Midtown Fitness Center. The Albuquerque hotel boasts a range of other services, including complimentary wireless Internet access and a complimentary airport shuttle.
On location you'll find the hotel's Brio Grille Restaurant, where mouth-watering meals are served in a casual atmosphere. You can tempt your palate with selections from our menu of American and New Mexican cuisine.
We're excited about this years convention and can't wait to give you more details about this year's presenters...but you'll have to wait until the all of the details are finalized! Keep checking back!
If you have any questions, contact your board members by emailing or joining our Facebook group and posting a question there!
Making it a family trip?
Easy enough! Albuquerque boasts a wide cultural mix that is reflected in all aspects of day-to-day life. Distinctive cuisine, sizzling salsa bands and high-energy festivals reveal the city's strong Mexican influence. During the winter months, excellent skiing attracts visitors from around the world; in the spring and summer, outdoor enthusiasts can explore a range of recreational activities. Points of interest include historic Old Town, trendy Nob Hill, Sandia Peak Tramway, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and a number of fine museums and historical monuments. Albuquerque is also home to the University of New Mexico.
Historic Old Town Albuquerque has been the heart of Albuquerque since the city was founded in 1706. Historic Old Town is our cultural center, with seven museums and over 100 shops, galleries and restaurants.
LOCAL POINTS OF INTEREST
The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
Museum of Archaeology and Biblical History
The Albuquerque Museum of Art & History
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Albuquerque Biological Park
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
New Mexico Rail Runner now stopping in Santa Fe
Sandia Peak Aerial Tram - The World’s Longest Aerial Tramway
The Championship Golf Course at UNM Sandia Casino
Coyote del Malpais Golf Course Isleta Casino
Isleta Eagle Golf Course Route 66 Casino
Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club Santa Ana Star
Pueblo de Cochiti Golf Course Buffalo Thunder
Sandia Golf Club
Twin Warriors Golf Club
Friday, October 9, 2009
Chin-To-Toe in three easy steps! (Sure.)
Chin-To-Toe
First warm up, starting with stretching the left leg:
Stand relaxed with the feet together. Gently shift the weight to the right leg and lift the left leg out into an open toe stance. Keeping your back straight and head up, slowly bend forward at the hips, reaching out with both hands toward the extended left foot. Hold this for at least 20 seconds, but know your body. Don't force it into a painful, moan inducing position. Then, switch sides and do the same stretch for the right leg. After the stretch, massage the legs.
(Note: Some people do this exercise and bounce the upper body toward the extended foot. I am vehemently opposed to this because bouncing can cause microtrauma in the muscle, which must heal itself with scar tissue. The scar tissue tightens the muscle, making you less flexible, and more prone to pain. But others disagree. And I will gladly post any other well written argument/opinion on the subject!)
Second warm-up:
In the same position, bend forward toward the extended toe with the arms crossed. The goal is to eventually (after time) reach the feet with the crossed arms. In the middle of the hold, switch the arms and then continue with the stretch. Do the same thing on the other side. Hold for at least 20 seconds. After the stretch, massage the legs.
Chin-To-Toe
In the same position as before, bend forward toward the extended toe, and if possible, place the hands around the foot and gently pull yourself as far forward as possible. In the beginning, try to touch your head to your ankle. Over time, you can work toward extending your chin toward the toes. Hold this position, again, for at least 20 seconds. After the stretch, massage the legs.
Does your school do it differently? Let us know! It'd be great to see all of the different paths to this well-known stretch.
By the way...
Master Y.C. Chiang has published a new Student Handbook for the Wen Wu School. It is a beautifully explicit publication with all of the Guang Ping basic stretches, principles and philosophy, movements and a lovely section on Tea Ceremonies. I believe it may be purchased through the Wen Wu school at www.wenwuschool.com.
First warm up, starting with stretching the left leg:
Stand relaxed with the feet together. Gently shift the weight to the right leg and lift the left leg out into an open toe stance. Keeping your back straight and head up, slowly bend forward at the hips, reaching out with both hands toward the extended left foot. Hold this for at least 20 seconds, but know your body. Don't force it into a painful, moan inducing position. Then, switch sides and do the same stretch for the right leg. After the stretch, massage the legs.
(Note: Some people do this exercise and bounce the upper body toward the extended foot. I am vehemently opposed to this because bouncing can cause microtrauma in the muscle, which must heal itself with scar tissue. The scar tissue tightens the muscle, making you less flexible, and more prone to pain. But others disagree. And I will gladly post any other well written argument/opinion on the subject!)
Second warm-up:
In the same position, bend forward toward the extended toe with the arms crossed. The goal is to eventually (after time) reach the feet with the crossed arms. In the middle of the hold, switch the arms and then continue with the stretch. Do the same thing on the other side. Hold for at least 20 seconds. After the stretch, massage the legs.
Chin-To-Toe
In the same position as before, bend forward toward the extended toe, and if possible, place the hands around the foot and gently pull yourself as far forward as possible. In the beginning, try to touch your head to your ankle. Over time, you can work toward extending your chin toward the toes. Hold this position, again, for at least 20 seconds. After the stretch, massage the legs.
Does your school do it differently? Let us know! It'd be great to see all of the different paths to this well-known stretch.
By the way...
Master Y.C. Chiang has published a new Student Handbook for the Wen Wu School. It is a beautifully explicit publication with all of the Guang Ping basic stretches, principles and philosophy, movements and a lovely section on Tea Ceremonies. I believe it may be purchased through the Wen Wu school at www.wenwuschool.com.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
2009 Conference and 2009 Kuo Memorial!
This year, the heavy hitters come out for a weekend journey of deep learning, revisiting core principles, and reuniting old friends and taiji family. We are very, very lucky to be able to offer a group of presenters who are world renowned internal martial artists:
You'll attend an amazing lecture on Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Methods of Good Practice with Y.C. Chiang, one of the lineage holders of Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi. This will be a rare opportunity to learn from one of the greatest internal martial artists of our time.
You'll experience the power of Hsing Yi applications from Henry Look, one of the founders of our organization. His powerful presentation will not only open your understanding of the internal art of Hsing Yi, but will enhance and cultivate your knowledge and practice of taijiquan to a much higher level.
We are so lucky, once again, to be able to have on our list of guests Madam Hui Liu. A world renowned Qigong master who will give an in-depth workshop on Seated Meditation and Seated Acupressure from Dayan Qigong. For anyone who involved in internal arts, this will be a workshop that will give focused enhancement your practice and your health. Her workshops are famous for deeply detailed and comprehensive information. She is amazing.
Also making this conference one of the best are Donald and Cheryl Lynne Rubbo, legends in their own time, offering a workshop on Cultivating Power - Extraordinary Practice for Extraordinary Times
Randy Elia, whose technique and precision is unsurpassed, will present Fa Li, an in-depth look at the will, intention & spirit inside Tai Chi & Hsing Yi. His presentation will be a seamless weave with Master Look's application workshop. Randy Elia's is not only a talented master of the art, but an amazing presenter, reaching out to students at every level of learning.
Another exceptional presenter and direct student of Master Kuo, Marilyn Cooper, joins us for a Push-Hands demonstration with the Kuo/Kwok influences that will challenge you to move deeper into your form. Cooper is not only a grand champion, but a gold medalist, first place international competitor and world title holder and fascinating presenter.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Chin To Toe
By Dr. Jay Dunbar
Chin-to-toe has been the special legacy of Guang Ping Yang Taijiquan ever since Yang Banhou required Wang Jiaoyu to touch his chin to his toe before he would accept him as a student (see the article by Master Henry Look in v. 1, issue 1 of The Universal Post). According to William Wong Chin in v. 1, issue 2: “Dr. Y.C. Chiang of El Cerrito CA. is the recognized leader of the fifth generation of masters of Guang Ping Yang Taijiquan. Before he was accepted as a student, he was required to achieve Chin -To-Toe in 100 days.
Chin-To-Toe is the hallmark exercise of Dr. Chiang's Wen Wu School in El Cerrito. Rather than a goal or destination, Chin-To-Toe is a launch point. All traditional masters of Guang Ping Yang Taijiquan began with Chin-To-Toe.”
Before becoming a student of Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa, I studied Guang Ping Taijiquan for three years, and traveled from New Jersey to San Francisco in 1976 to study with Master Kuo Lien-Ying. I have never achieved chin-to-toe, but I began a One Hundred Day Program in my school to encourage students to achieve “impossible” goals: specifically, chin -to-toe (in honor of Master Kuo) and a one-foot penny toss with the dantian (in honor of Master Jou).
In March 2003, one of my students, Denise Flora, became the first in our school to achieve the chin-to-toe stretch. Most people who hear of it do not believe this stretch is possible: "The legs are longer than the torso!" they exclaim. But a picture is worth a thousand words. Please go to the link on our website at http://www.magictortoise.com/100day.htm#denisetoe for an article Denise wrote offering her insights into achieving this stretch. Congratulations, Denise!
Chin-to-toe has been the special legacy of Guang Ping Yang Taijiquan ever since Yang Banhou required Wang Jiaoyu to touch his chin to his toe before he would accept him as a student (see the article by Master Henry Look in v. 1, issue 1 of The Universal Post). According to William Wong Chin in v. 1, issue 2: “Dr. Y.C. Chiang of El Cerrito CA. is the recognized leader of the fifth generation of masters of Guang Ping Yang Taijiquan. Before he was accepted as a student, he was required to achieve Chin -To-Toe in 100 days.
Chin-To-Toe is the hallmark exercise of Dr. Chiang's Wen Wu School in El Cerrito. Rather than a goal or destination, Chin-To-Toe is a launch point. All traditional masters of Guang Ping Yang Taijiquan began with Chin-To-Toe.”
Before becoming a student of Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa, I studied Guang Ping Taijiquan for three years, and traveled from New Jersey to San Francisco in 1976 to study with Master Kuo Lien-Ying. I have never achieved chin-to-toe, but I began a One Hundred Day Program in my school to encourage students to achieve “impossible” goals: specifically, chin -to-toe (in honor of Master Kuo) and a one-foot penny toss with the dantian (in honor of Master Jou).
In March 2003, one of my students, Denise Flora, became the first in our school to achieve the chin-to-toe stretch. Most people who hear of it do not believe this stretch is possible: "The legs are longer than the torso!" they exclaim. But a picture is worth a thousand words. Please go to the link on our website at http://www.magictortoise.com/100day.htm#denisetoe for an article Denise wrote offering her insights into achieving this stretch. Congratulations, Denise!
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